Help with my broody hen =(

[MagicHobo]

Hi everyone!

My hen (just the one bird) has been laying for about a week now, when she decided to go all broody. Normally I take the (unfertilised) eggs once their laid, but two days ago I forgot and how she's sitting on the egg! Been doing so for over a day now.

I've been reading stuff on the internet about what I should do, some say I should pick up my hen and just take the eggs, some say just leave her be...

Everytime I go near here she makes lots of noise, so far I've just been leaving some food next to her a few times a day and she eats that (though she's still eating far less than normal), but I'm not sure how long I can keep that up. I'm not so concerned about the eggs at the moment as I am about the chicken starving herself.

A little advice please! Thank you.

 

[emeraldquill]

I would lift her up(wear heavy gloves if you think she may peck you) and remove the egg/s. She could sit on them for months and they will never hatch.
I have 2 broodies at the minute and every opportunity I get I turf them out and shut the door. I don't leave them out long but they do need to get up walk about,shake themselves,eat,drink,do the business and some general maintenance on themselves. They very quickly get sick of the disturbance and 'give up' the broodiness. Lots of live mealworms are good to keep the weight issue in check.
Sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind for their sake...thats my advice for what it may be worth.

 

[MagicHobo]

All right then, I'll take her out of her nest.

She seems so content though, makes me feel really guilty plucking her out of it

 

[emeraldquill]

Yep,I feel the same...but I feel more guilty for not doing anything. I know nature would take it's course and they would eventually get up themselves but some birds can really neglect themselves more than others.....and I don't see anything wrong with a little human intervention to help them out!

 

[MagicHobo]

Ok first thing in the morning I'll take her for a walk

Thank you so much for the advice! My hen is somewhat of an unintentional pet, she just wandered into my backyard one day and I have no idea where she came from, and she's been living in my house ever since so I don't really know what to do with her.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

When my hens went broody a few months ago I was afraid they would starve themselves. They seldom got up to eat and drink so I got them off the nest each day and sat them in front of their buffet. They each stayed off about 20 minutes then went back to the nest.
This time around they are getting up every morning with the rest of the flock and doing all their business and going back to the nests in about 20 minutes.
They are good girls. Banty Cochins.

There are ways to break the broodiness too, if you wanted to.

 

[emeraldquill]

It's a learning curve that you never reach the end of. You can't really go wrong as long as they have food,water and lots of roaming. I learn something each day about mine and I love them to bits. I would suggest you maybe get another,they prefer company...they aren't solitary animals by nature. Just a thought

 

[MagicHobo]

Guys I really can't seem to get her out

She flares up her wings and makes lots of noise and I'm really afraid I'll hurt her, and she refuses to come down. Is there any way to pacify hens? She's wedged herself really tightly in and I just can't seem to slip my fingers under her.

Maybe if I just move the entire nest? But if I do, will she be afraid to lay eggs there again?

Sorry ya, I'm terribly new at this. She wasn't a planned pet, long story short it was either I take care of her or the stray dogs would.

 

[jacyjones]

Quote:
I know it is quite scary but you need to be a bit tough with her. She will be cross but wear gloves and approach from behind if you can. Firmly get hold of her from the sides so she can't flap her wings and lift her away so she can't get back to the nest. I find I need to keep a broody away from the nest boxes completely so i have a bit of a stable sectioned off. She is put on a hard concrete floor with food an water but no nesting material. I let her out to walk around for a period each day and then shut her in again until she stops being broody. Some say put the bum in cold water or put something cold in the nest - you are trying to make it uncomforatable for them to sit!! It seems cruel but if they are not on fertile eggs then the sooner they stop the better. They lose condition quite quickly so you are helping the chicken - best to remember that!! Good luck.

 

[MagicHobo]

All right guys I finally managed to get her out. Put her in front some food, took her eggs away, then went indoors. Now she's terribly moody, won't let anyone go near her! Can't believe this is the same hen who used to eat out of my hand

I felt so cruel taking her eggs away and now she's all cranky and paranoid.

EDIT: And now she keeps going back to her nest searching frantically for the eggs! 'tis hard on one's conscience to take care of a chicken.

Yeah I put her on concrete and she's attempting to dig a hole in the ground